Reversing mechanism.



'J. V. PETRELLI. REVERSING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. m4.

PatentedSept; 4, 1917.

ma mso J. V. PETRELLI. ntvgasme MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. I914.-

Partented Sept. 4, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1. v. PETREL LI.

REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1914.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

JOSEPH V. PETRELLI, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

REVERSING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. i, 1917.

Application filed June 8,1914. Serial No. 843,725.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, J osnrn V. PETRELLI, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reversing Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the charac ters' of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in-

Figure 1 a view in side elevation of my improved reversing mechanism, shown as set for reversing.

Fig. 2 a plan view of the mechanism also shown as set for reversing.

Fig. 3 a corresponding .plan view of the mechanism shown as set for going ahead.

Fig. l a view of the mechanism in longitudinal vertical section, shown as set for going ahead. i

Fig. 5 a view of the mechanism in vertical transverse section on the line ab of Fig. 4

and looking inward toward the inner member of its two-part case.

Fig. 6 a view of the mechanism in front elevation with the lower portion of the outer member of its two-part case broken away, and also with the outermost steel friction-disk broken away toexpose the outermost bronze friction-disk.

Fig. 7 a view of the mechanism in transverse central section.

Fig. 8 a detached view one. reduced scale, of one of the steel friction-disks.

Fig. 9 a corresponding view of one of the bronze friction-disks.

Fig. 10 a detached, rear perspective view of the combined driving-sleeve and gearcage.

Fig. 11 a view thereof in longitudinal section through the centers of two of the four webs which unite its washer-like flanges.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of reversing mechanisms primarily designed for use in motor boa-ts, but adapted to be used in automobiles, in conjunction with stationary shafting, and in fact, in many situations calling for the transmission of motive power, the object being to produce a simple, reliable, durable and compact mechanism in which the danger of breakage is reduced. to the minimum by removing the strain from the gear teeth when the mechanism is set for going ahead, and in which provision is made for reversing at the full speed.

l/Vith these ends in view my invention consists in a reversing mechanism having certain details of construction and combina tions of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

in carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a combined driving-sleeve and gear-cage consisting of a sleeve 2, parallel circular flanges 3, at, and four integral, heavy webs 5 placed quartering between the said flanges and uniting the same. The said sleeve 2 is formed with an internal key-way (5, whereby the driving or engine-shaft, which is not shown, may be locked into it.

At its inner end the said driving-sleeve 2 is formed with a concentric interior recess 7 containing a bushing 77 for the reception of the reduced inner end of the driven sleeve .8 which is provided at its outer end with a key-way 9 for the reception of the key 10 of the driven-shaft 11 which abuts against the engine-shaft which, as stated, is not shown. The driven-shaft 11 is held against longitudinal displacement in the drivensleeve 8 by means of a set screw 12 in the extreme outer end thereof. A correspond ing screw 13 is mounted in the drivingsleeve 2 for holding the engine-shaft against longitudinal movement therein.

My improved mechanism is provided with a two-part case consisting of an outer coverlike or flanged case-member 14: and a corresponding inner cover-like or flanged casemember 15. The said case-member 14 is mounted upon the. driving-sleeve 2 from which it is separated by a bushing 16, while the case-member 15 is mounted upon the outer end of the driven-sleeve S from which it is separated by a bushing 17.

The said case-members 1d and 15 are located upon the opposite sides of an internal gear 18 provided with a circumferentiahcem tralizing or positioning-rib 19 against the opposite faces of which the edges of the flanges of the said case-members 1 1- and 15 abut, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.. The said case-members and internal gear are secured together so as to function as a unit, by means ofa series of long assembling bolts 20 furnished at their ends with nuts 21. These bolts pass through suitable holes 2? formed for their reception near the edges of the case-members 14 and 15 and through correspending holes 23 formed inthe circumferential rib 19 of the internal gear 18.

The outer face of the said rib19, is engaged by the central portion of theinner face of a brake-band 24 the edges of which for the reception ofa smalltoggle-lever 30 hung upon a pin 31 and carrying a stop-pin 32 in the shorter of its two arms. The longer arm of thls lever, has a knuckle-llke terminal 33 which co-acts with a semi-circular recess 34 in the outer edge of the free outer end of an operating-lever 35 which passes through the slot-29 in the bolt 27 at a point between the said toggle-lever 3O and a segmental rocking-shoe 36 set intoa curved recess 37 formed in the outer face of the adjacent lug 26 0f the brake band 24. The outer end of the said lever 35 is provided with a stoppinv 38 which engageswith the outer face of the bolt27' and prevents the toggle-lever 30 from being drawn beyond its center. The inner. end of the said lever '35, is secured by a-stud 39 to' the arm 40 ofa yoke 41 setting over the outer end of a cone 42 sliding upon therlriven-shaft 11. 'At its outer end the said'cone 42 is formed with an-annular recess 43 containing aspli-t-collar 44 receiving the studs 45v by means of which the yoke is connected'w-ith the cone. Thearm-40 of the yeke'41 formed with a recess 46"for the reception of the rear" end of a b'owed'fulcrum-arm 47 pivota'lly secured to it by a stud 48 which is located betweenthe inner end of the lever 35 andthe'yoke '41. In other-words, the'fulcrnm-arm is pivotally connected to the handle of the reversing I gear -IS.

mechanism at apoint-between the connec tion of the o1: erating-lever with the handle and the center on which the handle swings, 'dJ a; the pivotof the yoke. The upper end of the said arm '47 isinserted between the two rip-standing lugs 26 aforesaid, and is split :and bored for' the reception of the operatingbolt' 27 1113011 which the'arm is clamped bya bolt-7S (Fig.4). The said arm 40 of the yoke 41 is slotted for the receptionfof a: handle 49-secured in place by rivets50.

Under the construction just above described, when: the handle 49 is drawn forward into the go-ahead position as shown in Fig. 4, the brake-band 24 expands by its own: resiliency so as to'iimpose norestraint upon the free rotation, as a unit, of the oase-=me1nb"ers:14 and 15 and the internal On the other hand, when the :handle 49 iswpushed rearward into the reversing posiition, shown by Figs. 1 and 2, theoperating lever 35 co-acts with the toggle-lever 30 whichfas it turns uponits pivot 31, forces the lever-35 laterally inward against the shoe 36 and contracts the brake-band 24 by forcing the lug 26 carrying the shoe 36, toward the other lug 26 at the opposite end of the'hr ake-band 24, whereby the casemembers 14 and 15 and the internal gear 18 are firmly gripped and-held against rotation by thebrake-band 24*Wh-ichis the permanently "stationary member of the entire mechanism and thereto provided with horizontal installation-arms 51 by means of which the mechanism is. supported in place.

WVhen the handle 49 is drawn forward into its go-ahead position, the cone 42 co-acts with the inwardly turned outer ends of three cam-like go-ahead levers 52 respectively mounted in three pairs of radially arranged lugs 53 on a lever-carrying ring 54 mounted upon aconcentriohnb 55 formed upon the rear-face of theinner casememberl5 and adjustably secured in place thereupon by means of a threaded take-up ring56 having peripheral a dj-usting notches 57 receiving. a locking-finger 58 secured' bya screw-59 to the 1ever'carrying ring 54 as shown in Figs. 4 and-5. The said levers 52 turn upon studs 60 mounted in the lugs 53 aforesaid.

The cam-like heels-of the said go-ahead levers 52 co-act with the roundedouter-ends of the stems61 of three disk-like pressureplungers 62 located-in circular recesses 63 formed in the inner face of the casemember 15.

The said pressure-plungers 62 are relied upon tobring. into play two sets of steel friction-disks' 64 and bronze "friction-disks 65 arranged in alternation and provided for normally coupling the driving-sleeve 2 with the driven-sleeve 8 through the intermediary of the case-members'l4 and 15 and the internal gear 18, when the mechanism is adjusted for going ahead at-which time, by virtue of the employment of the said two sets of friction disks all strain is removed from the teeth 79 of the internal gear 18, the teeth of the outer intermediate pinions 66, the teeth of the inner intermediate pinions 67 and the teeth of the driven-gear68 which is fixedb 'a key'69upon the drivensleeve 8. The tooth-ed elements just enumerated,--of my improved mechanism, are subject to no strain whatever when .the mechanism is set for going ahead.

The steel friction disks 64 '(Fig; 8) are in part mounted upon the driving-sleeve 2 and in partupon the driven-sleeve 8; while the bronze friction-disks 65 (Fig. 9) are in part mounted in the Outercasemember 14 and in part in the rear case-member 15.

For insuring the rotation of the steelfriction1di'sks' 64 with the driving-sleeve 2 and the drivensleeve 8, the said disks-are formed with internal locking-notches 7 O receivin a circular series of radial locking-ribs F1,

formed upon the periphery of the said circular series of peripheral lockingnotches 72 receiving correspondingly arranged inwardly projecting locking-lugs 7 3 (Fig. 6) formed upon the inner faces of the flanges of the said case-members 14c and 15.

The steel friction-disks 6 1 though coupled for rotation with the said sleeves 2 and 8, are free to be moved laterally with respect thereto within narrow limits, while the bronze friction-disks 65 though compelled to rotate with the case-members 1a and 15, are allowed to have a slight lateral play with respect thereto. The described lateral movement of the two sets of disks is provided for, so that they may be cut into and out of action by means of the pressure plungers 62 and thecam-like go-ahead levers 52 already described.

When the handle 19 is thrown forward as shown in Fig. 4, the cone 12 is moved rearward and the go-ahead levers 52 brought into play for forcing the pressure plungers 62 forward, whereby the set of frictiondisks within the case-member 15 are directly compressed and also whereby the set of fric tion-disks in the case-member M are compressed by the rearward movement of the entire case and internal gear 18, which parts are drawn inward as a unit by the reverse force set up between the stems 61 of the plungers 62 and the pivots 60 of the levers 52, causing the friction-disks in the outer casemember .14 to be crowded rearward against the outer face of the flange 3 of the gear-cage.

The outer intermediatev pinions 66 are mounted upon studs 7 5 supported at their opposite ends in the flanges 3 and 4 of the gear-cage, while the inner intermediate pinions 67 are mounted upon studs 7 6 also supported at their ends in the said flanges 3 and 4 of the gear-cage. It is to be particularly noted that all of the pinions employed are mounted in the gear-cage which is virtually a part of the driving-sleeve 2. The said pinions therefore are directly connected through the gear-cagewith the source of power. It is to be further noted that on account of having two sets of interposed pinions mounted in the gear-cage, a reversal of the driven sleeve 8 results from stopping the rotation of the internal gear 18 by the application of the brake-band 24.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that by pulling the handle 49 forward, thetwo sets of friction-disks 64 and 65 are brought inte play for coupling the driven-sleeve 8 to the driving-sleeve 2 in such a manner that no strain whatever is allowed to fall upon any of the gear teeth of the mechanism during the forward drive, whereby the breakage of the teeth is prevented altogether and the wear of the gear teeth is reduced to the minimum and confined entirely to the period of reversal. When the mechanism is set for going a head, all of its elements rotate except the brake-band 24:, the lever 35, the link 17, the handle 49 and the yoke 41. When the handle 19 is thrown rearward into its reversing position, the cone 412 is pushed for-V ward so as to release the go-ahead levers 52, whereby the two sets of friction-disks are immediately relieved of all pressure and thus cut out of play. At the same time, the brake-band 2 1 is brought into play for gripping the two case-members 1a and 15 and the internal gear 18 which are thereafter held against rotation. N ow when the gear-cage rotates as it always does with the driving-sleeve 2, the outer and inner intermediate pinions 66 and 67 operating upon each other and upon the stationary internal gear 18, will cause the driven-sleeve 8 to rotate at the same speed at which it rotated previously but in the opposite direction. At this time, the steel friction-disks 64 which are non-rotatably connected with the two sleeves, will rotate between the bronze friction-disks 65 which will remain at rest with the respective inner and outer case-members l4: and 15.

In the intermediate position of the handle as, the said friction-disks 64: and 65 are not clamped upon each other and brought into play, nor is the brake-band 2a clamped upon the internal gear 18 and brought into play, from which it follows that the driving-sleeve 2 revolves the case-members, gear-cage and internal gear idly and without transmitting any power to the driven-gear which, being uncoupled from the driving-sleeve, remains at rest.

I also wish to point out that all of the connections of the handle with the frictionband are located entirely above the center or axis of the mechanism, and therefore in positions where they are readily accessible for examination and adjustment.

When the mechanism is set for going ahead, the driving-sleeve 2 and the drivensleeve 8 revolve together by virtue of being coupled together by means of the two sets of friction-disks which are clamped upon the opposite faces of the two-part case. At this time the pinions carried by the gearcage will not only be idle, but relieved of strain. They will. revolve, of course, with the cage but have no revolution upon their own axes. On the other hand, when the mechanism is set for reversing, the brakeband holds the two-part case and internal gear against rotation, and as the pressure is now removed from the friction-disks the gear-cage rotates within the internal gear with the effect of rotating the pinions carried thereby upon their respective axes and causing the driven-sleeve to be rotated at the same rate as the driving-sleeve but in the opposite direction from the rotation thereof.

' It will be understood that the driven-sleeve 8 then revolves within the bushings 77 and 17 between the driven-sleeve and the casemembers 14; and '15.

I wish to particularly point out that by uniting the respective flanges 3 and at of the gear-cage by the heavy integral webs 5, the'torsional strain to which the flanges are subjected, is not communicated to the studs upon which the intermediate pinions 66 and 67 are mounted, whereby the alinement of the said pinions is maintained. I also wish to point out that by locating separate sets of friction-disks or equivalent friction surfaces or friction means at the respective ends of the gear-cage, the same is frictionally held withip the case at both of its ends, whereby its driving power is increased and the back-lash which occurs if it is frictionally held only atone end, is

friction means co-acting with the cage and the case, whereby the case and cage are constantly driven in the same direction for the forward drive and the cage for the reverse drive, and means for holding the said'case and hence the said internal gear, against rotation, whereby the pinions are caused to reversely rotate the driven gear, and hence the driven member, on the reverse drive.

2. In a reversing mechanism, the combination with a case, of an internal gear carried-thereby, a gear-cage located within the said case and comprising inner and outer fianges'one of which is formed with an outwardly projecting hub adapted to be rigidly connected with a source of power, a driven gear, pinionscarried by the said cage located between the flanges thereof and interposed between the said gears, and friction means between the ends of the cage and the case, whereby the cage is constantly driven in the same direction for the forward drive and for the reverse drive, and whereby the forward drive of the mechanism is mainly carried by "the said friction means rather than by the gearing when interlocked.

3. In a reversing mechanism, the combination with a case, a gear-cage located within the case, a driving member rigidly connected with the gear-cage for constantly rotating the same in one "direction and adapted to be solidly connected with the 'motive power, a driven member, two sets of friction disks respectively interposed between the gear-cage and case with which the disks are coupled for the rotation of the said case and cage, one set of disks being coupled both with the said -ge'arcase and the said gear-cage, and the other set being cou-pled both with the said gear-case and the said driven member, and means for simultaneously imposing pressure upon both sets of disks and the ends of the gear-cage, whereby the gear-case is mainly held against rotation by the said disks during the forward drive and the strain removed from the gearing.

4:. In a reversing mechanism, the combination with a case, of a driving and a driven member, the latter being adapted to be solidly connected with the source of motive power, a gear-cage located within the case, rigidly connected with the said driving-member and carrying pinions, two sets of friction disks respectively connected with the said driving and driven members for rotation therewith, two'se'ts of friction disks connected with the case for rotation therewith, ,and arranged in alternation with the disks connected with the said driving and driven members, and means for applying inward pressure to the said disks thus causing the driving and driven members, the case, and the gear-cage to revolve together in the same direction for the forward drive.

source of power, a driven-member concentric with the gear-cage, a driven-gear carried by the driven-member, two sets of pinions carried by the gear-cage, meshing into each other and interposed between the .said internal gear and the said driven gear,

and two sets of friction disks interposed between the ends jof the case and the cage and constructed and arranged to frictionally couple together the driving and drivenmembers and the said case during the forward drive and so relieve the strain upon the gearing. V r

6. In a reversing mechanism, the combination with a case, of an internal gearrigid therewith, a gear-cage located in the said case, pinions carried by the said cage, a driving member rigid withithe said cage and projecting outward through the said case for solid connection with the source of motive power, whereby the cage and internal gear are constantly driven in the same direction for the forward drive, a driven memher, a driven-gear connected therewith and meshed into by the said pinions which are interposed between it and the said internal gear, two sets of friction disks respectively interposed between the ends of the case and the ends of the cage, one set of disks being alternately connected with the said case and the driving member, and the other set being alternately connected with the case and the driven member, and means for holding the case and hence the internal gear against rotation, whereby the pinions are caused to reversely rotate the driven gear and hence the driven-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH V. PETBELLI.

Witnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLE, C. L. WEED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

